Various food packages are known which contain food in a form which is visible to the purchasing consumer. One such package comprises a rigid base tray having food receiving compartments therein and covered with a transparent flexible film which hermetically seals the compartments. When the package is to travel in ordinary channels of commerce between the original manufacturer and the supermarket shelf, there is a need to provide, in addition to the basic food containing and sealing function of the container, a means to convey label information to the consumer, to provide a mechanism which allows the package to stand on edge or otherwise be displayed in an upright position and/or to preserve the structural integrity of the package.
Heretofore, in a package of the present type, these functions have been provided by an outer closure container such as that shown in U.S. Pat. Des. Nos. 305,204 and 305,205. However, since outer enclosures use a large amount of material, they tend to be relatively expensive. Also, for environmental purposes, it is desirable to minimize the quantity of packaging material required for any given food product and/or to use materials which facilitate recycling and are therefore "environmental friendly". Additionally, consumers often favor packages using less packaging material because they enhance visibility of the product.
Thus, there exists a need to provide, in a food package of the present type, new and improved means to convey label information, to provide a mechanism for the package to stand on edge or otherwise be disposed in an upright position and/or to preserve the structural integrity of the package during travel in ordinary channels of commerce while reducing the quantity of the packaging material itself and maintaining a high level of consumer impact.